At a dinner at Simon the leper’s house, Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (the one whom Christ had recently raised from the dead), did a surprising, extravagant and even seemingly foolish thing. The story can be found in Matthew 26:6-13, one of three Gospel accounts that record this memorable incident: “And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table” (Matthew 26:6-7).
This was a very rare and expensive perfume—some sources say it may have come from India.
If we read the parallel scriptures in Mark 14 and John 12 we see the oil wasn’t just poured on Christ’s head, but also on His feet. We don’t normally think of honoring someone this way, but the NIV Bible Commentary points out that in those days, “A distinguished rabbi might have been so honored.”
Continuing the story, Matthew wrote, “But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, ‘Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor'” (Matthew 26:8-9). All the disciples were saying this, but John 12:4 makes it clear the leading voice was Judas Iscariot, who carried the money box. Although his concern wasn’t genuine, and he actually stole from the box, the rest of the disciples joined him in rebuking Mary for this perceived waste.
Mark 14:5 tells us the oil was worth more than 300 denarii—a year’s wages for a laborer. Jesus had just emphasized the importance of serving the poor to His disciples in Matthew 25—the parable of the sheep and the goats: “I was hungry and you gave Me food…” (verse 35). Couldn’t a year’s wages be put to better use than just being poured out and wasted? The disciples were so sure they were right, but Jesus didn’t agree, surprisingly rebuking them for criticizing Mary: “When Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.'” (Matthew 26:10-11).
For Judas Iscariot, this was the last straw, and he soon set out to betray his Master and Friend for just 30 pieces of silver. Many experts believe these silver coins were tetradrachmas, worth four denarii. If this is true, Judas received 120 denarii, or less than half of what the perfume cost, for his betrayal of Jesus. Mary’s freely given devotion to Jesus was worth far more.
Christ went on to tell the disciples, “’For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her'” (Matthew 26:12-13). What was Mary’s motivation to do this, and why did Christ say it would be used as an example throughout the world?
The lesson here certainly was not that the poor weren’t important, or that waste is permissible. The incident occurred not long after Mary’s beloved brother Lazarus had been raised from the dead, and she believed Jesus was the Christ, our Creator and Ruler. At this dinner, just days before His sacrifice, it seems Mary was beginning to understand Christ was willing to die for us and to give us eternal life.
Halley’s Bible Handbook (2000) puts it this way on page 702: “Jesus probably had spoken of His coming crucifixion. Mary—kindhearted, compassionate, thoughtful, lovely Mary—perhaps noticing a look of pain in His eyes, said to herself, ‘This is no parable. He means it.’ “And she went and got the rarest treasure of her household and poured it on His head and feet, and wiped them with her hair. Perhaps not a word was said. But He understood. He knew that she was trying to tell Him how her heart ached.”
Mary’s example reminds us God deserves our very best, and for a Christian there will be times when we may need to honour God by doing something extraordinary. Some give their all for trivial pursuits such as fashion, football or some other pursuit, but we are called to give our all to God (Romans 12:1). Noah risked his reputation and a large portion of his life in building a huge vessel away from the sea, and a widow gave her last two mites to God.
Mary’s example, many centuries ago, has a powerful way of making us reexamine what is truly important — putting God first and giving her Master and Savior—and ours — our best.
